Delivery system and apparatus therefor.



E. A. MORSE. A

DELIVERY SYSTEM AND APPARATUS THEREFOR:

APPLICATION FILED APB. 20,1908.

Patented J an. 19, 1909. I

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. A. MORSE. V

I DELIVERY SYSTEM AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.-

APPLICATION FILED APR.20,1908.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

lnwntop Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

\ 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. A. MORSE. DELIVERY SYSTBM AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.

APPLICATION TILED APR.'20, 1908.

23 3 tn use a gr m i r s ng ll l in Elill'lll A. MORSE, 9h LIBERTI, NEBRASKA.

DELK'VEB SEZSTEH All AI EARAT'US Patented Jan. 1B, 1905?.

To (all whom may concern:

Be it known that l, Ennis A. Minzsn, a. citizen of the United States, residing" :riliih erty, in the county of Gage and State of Nebraska, have invented s new and useful. De livery System and Apparatus Thercfor, of which the following-is e specification. This invention inlales to a delivery system and the apparatus therefor.

The invention has special relation to delivery systems whereby goods, messages, and the like, may he sent from a central station to various stations, as, for instance, from a central station, located in u lovvn, to farm houses along roads, and so forth.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved system for the purpose described.

A second object of the invention is to provide an improved our for such system.

A third object of the invention to provide an improved means for suppori'ing overhead tracks in such a sysicin.

A still further object of the invcniion is to provide improved means for stopping the car at any predetermined point in the tem.

The invention comprises, in general, a. central station, a plurality of ovcrhend trucks leading therefrom to desired points, a suitable car arranged to run on one of said tracks, and suitable means located iii. a predetermined poinf to slop said our when desired.

The invention consisls further in certain novel details of arrangement and combinaiions of parts, hereinuficr fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing. and specifically set forlh in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, like churoclers of reference refer to like p: rl's through out the several views, and Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a. delivery system constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig.2 is a side ele 'ation of a portion of one of the tracks and pin-ls of the station apparatus showing 21 car suspended from the track. Fig. 3 is a detail perspcc live View of the arrangement of the trawl: and supports at u'stntion. Fig. is an cud view of the trucks at a elation showin the manner of approaching the station platiorui. Fig. 5. is a detail of one of the supporting; rollers or Wheels of a car.

In the perspective view oi the entire sys tem shown in Fig. l, the central station is in dictated by lhc loner A. it will he observed that from this ccnl'rul siuliou extends a. nunu her of pairs of trucks, each track comprising two Wires. As there is no ground councction becween the motor on lhe car and lho Wire which supports this cur, it is nccc; that there should be two wires 0 form circuit.

l n l the incoming lKRZlCS are dcsigholed by the letter In th some figure the outgoing trucks are L'lLS jlmlHl by C. At. l) is shown :1 station, and :it E is shown a car coming in, while at F is shown an outgoing;- cur.

ll hile the station A is here shown as a platform simply, it is to he understood that the some may be in. any convcnienl'. location, such a building or other structure specially designed for the purpose. It is further to he observed that While the trucks are here shown as substantially radial, they may all come into one side of a building, or the like, this arrmigenient being merely :1 mechanical detail.

ll is, of course, plain that the wires fornr lug he tracks are to be connected to some suitable source of electric power. This, however, is not here shown, as it forms no part of: the present invention.

. Each truck or circuit comprises a supporting Wire 1 and a return circuit Wire 1].,

these Wires being arranged parallel througl'u out the circuit.

Each local station comprises a pole l2 ivhereon is mounted a platform 11) up preached by means of suitshlc winding stairs l l :1ll'2111g1l urr-und the pole. The wires forming the trucks are supporl'cd only cl the slations, these supports comprising bars 15 supporting the wires 10 and burs 1G sup-- porting ihe wires 11. In addition to the supports for the Wires at each oi the slutions, there is a frame 17 whereupon is mounted a pair of parallel rocks 18 placed on either side of the wires 10 and arranged to have the center portion extend shove the supports 15, While the ends puss downward to puss below the wires 10.

In addition to the above dcsc 'ihcd station apparatus, there is mounted on the pole r. quadrant l9.

The car is preferably made somewhat heat-shaped with e forward, pointed end. The body of the our is indicated by the numeral 19. lpou this body are held standards 20 and 21. Mounted for rotation in LUU the upper part of each of these'standards is a wheel 22 provided with a grooved periphery 23 arranged to run on one of the wires- 10. This groove is further provided with laterally extending annular flanges 24, for purposes to be hereinafter described. The wheel 22 that is mounted in the standard 21 is provided with an insulating bushing 25. This wheel is keyed or otherwise fixed to a shaft 26 which is mounted in the'standard 21 by means of suitable insulating bearings 27 and 28. Upon the shaft 26 is fixed a sprocket wheel 29. Mounted on the insulating bearings 28 is 'a plate of copper, or the like, as indicated at 30. This plate 30 is provided with a suitable binding post 31 whereto is connected a wire 32. The construction of the Wheel 22 that is carried in the standard 20 is precisely similar to that just described, with the exception that there is no sprocket 29 on the shaft of that wheel,

and the shaft is consequently made shorter. The wires 32. are led to a switch 33 mounted, on what may be termed, the deck of the carrier. A wire 34 leads from the switch to a motor 35 located in any desired position within the carrier. From the motor 35 the circuit continues over a wire 36 to a trolley arm 37 pivotally connected to the carrier and arranged to be normally held in contact with the wires 11 by a spring 38. The trolley 37 is provided with a usual form of wheel, as indicated at 39.

Upon the motor 35 is held a sprocket or other drive wheel, as indicated at 40, and a sprocket chain, or the like, 41 serves to connect the sprockets 29 and 40, and thus to actuate the car When the motor rotates. The switch 33 is provided with an operating handle 42 and with a stop 43. When the switch is in position so that the circuit is complete, the operating handle 42 is arranged so as to be in a position substantially perpendicular to the body of the carrier. This is best seen in Fig. 2, and in the same figure the dotted line position of the switch represents the limit ofmovement of the operating handle. It is to be observed that this switch must be of heavy enough construction to act as a stop for the carrier. it Mounted upon the quadrant 19 previously described is a latch lever 44. This lever is arranged so that it may be operated as shown in Fig. 4 and lie in the path of the operating handle 42 of the switch. It will be obvious that as the car goes past the point at which the lever 44 is situated, the lever Will contact with the operating handle 42, open the switch and stop the car.

In order to minimize the danger of the car leaving the wire, there is mounted on the standards 20 and 21 a lever 45 on which is pivotally mounted a wheel 46 provided with a peripheralgroove. The wheel 46 is held immediately below the wheel 22, so that the wire end is closely embraced between the wheel 22 and the wheel 46. It is obvious that the wheel 46 must be provided with some insulating means, but as any means may be used for this purpose, the same has not been detailed. A spring 47 normally holds the wheel 46 tight up against the wire,

scribed, the spr'ingpermits the wheel to move towards the body of the carrier and a'wayifrom the wheel 22. When the car apported, the flanges 24 of the wheels 22 will tire device will then be caused to ride along the arpuate surface of these rails while at t the same time the wheel 46 will continue to run under the .wire 10; In this manner the that the bars 17 and 15 may be passed,

It will be seen that, in order to complete the electric circuit, some form of contact is necessary between the wheel 22 and the plate 30, and for this purpose there. is provided a spiral spring 48.

In the operation of the device, let it be supposed that a customer living in the country desires to obtain goods from a town. The customer notifies the merchant in any manner, as by telephone or'writing, as to the goods he desires. The merchant then either sends the goods to the central station or to the nearest local station. If the goods are the central station and the attendant at that station transfers the goods to the outgoing car on that branch Whereon the purchaser is located. The purchaser in the meanwhile has thrown the latch lever at his station in such manner as to stop the car. The oods having been placed in the 'car, the switch is closed and the car started on the out-going track. On arriving at the station, the latch lever operates to open the switch and thus stop the car in the manner heretofore described. The purchaser ob serving the car at rest at his station then ascends to the platform by means of awinding stair and removes the goods. Should there be goods in the car intended for a then pushes the car beyond the station. first lifting the latclrlever and closing the switch. The car then resumes its journey. Should, however, the car be empty, when arriving at the station, of all goods except those for the purchaser, he removes the car from that track, turns it around and places it starts the car on its return.

It is obvious that letters and orders may be sent in from the outlying stations to the central, and distributed to the-various nurbut under certain conditions now to be de-- proaches a point 'at which the wires are suprections affixed. This car carries them to contact with the spaced rails 18. The en- 1 i device permits a separation of the wheels so point, or points, beyond said station, he

on the in-going track, closes the switch and chasers'in the town by means of the in-' oing cars. sired to send parcels to peo Is on the same line, or branch, it is mere y necessary to place-the car on the track, close the switch, and start it on its journey, notifying the party for whom it is intended by phone, or

in any other suitable manner.

If it'is desired, the goods receptacle in the car may be provided with a lock, and keys maybe distributed to the parties using the system, -In' this manner it would be impossible for astranger to stop the car and remove goods therefrom.

It will beain that the incoming and out-going traclls have a loop at the extreme end thereof, so that the cars turn without the intervention of any person.

Other'and various uses of this device will also befplain.

Having thus described the what is claimed is 1. In a deliveryjsystem, a wire, a support for said wire extending laterally therefrom, a car comprising .a body portion having wheels mounted thereon to support said car on said wire, other wheels mounted on the car to hold the first wheels from displacement from said .wire, and means carried on and adjacent said supports to' separate the first and second mentioned wheels and permit the car to pass. said; supports.

In a delivery system, a wire, a su port for said wire extending-laterally,there? invention,

It is also obvious that when it 18 de;

rom,

a car comprising a body portion having wheels mounted thereon to support the car, levers mounted on the car, springs normally pressing said levers toward said wheels, other wheels carried on said levers to hold the first wheels from displacement from said wire, and means carried said supports to separate the wheels and permit the carto pass the supports.

3. In a delivery system, a wire, a support for said wire extending laterally therefrom, a car comprising a body portion having wheels mounted thereon provided withperipheral flanges,

said wheels bein arranged to support said car on said w1re,a pair of spaced tracks extending from a point below said wire over said supports to a second point below said wire and adapted to receive the flanges of said wheels, levers mounted on said car, wheels mounted on said levers to hold the first wheels from displacement from said wire, and springs supporting said levers and normally forcing said wheels toward each other, said springs and-track constituting a means for separating said wheels and permitting the car to turn the support.

. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my'own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERNE A. MORSE. Witnesses T. E. MANLEY, F. R. BELVILLE.

on and adjacent 

